IN RESPONSE TO OUR MISSIONS CONFERENCE
“A CALL TO ACTION”
WHAT ACTION STEPS ARE WE (YOU) WILLING TO TAKE?
We were all challenged during our recent missions conference to ‘stand up and take action’ for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are a number of practical opportunities for us to put feet on the ground if we are willing to move forward.
Here are some actions steps that came out of the missions conference that our West Church Outreach Committee is now working on:
CITIZEN’S FOR ADEQUATE HOUSING: In response to our request stirred by our outreach ministry during the Missions Conference, Laura McKellar, the volunteer coordinator form Citizen’s for Adequate Housing sent us the following request for help to the West Church:
- House Volunteers (*most critical*) – We are looking for volunteers to assist our team during the weekday evening shifts. Responsibilities include helping with childcare, support group sessions, or as needed. The days/times are flexible – whatever time/frequency works for your schedule.
- Room Makeovers – Do you enjoy painting and making over rooms? When families are fully placed in housing, we need to get their rooms ready for the next family. We are looking for volunteers (ideally available on short notice) to help clean, paint, and set up rooms based on the needs of incoming families.
- Backup Child Care – sometimes when our childcare staff can’t make it in, we need help in a pinch. If you’re interested in being on the backup childcare list, that would be wonderful!
- Crafts With Kids – We are looking for volunteers who would like to do crafts with kids younger than the age of 7 on Thursday afternoons.
- Share Your Skills –Do you like to cook? Are you great at organizing? Are you great with computers? Are you a zumba or yoga instructor? Perhaps you’d like to teach a class or 1:1 session for our residents to share your skills?
- Drivers – We are looking for volunteers willing to drive residents to off-site meetings using our van. The above opportunities to ‘take action’ and demonstrate the love of Christ to people in need, and to build relationships with unbelievers are all doors God can open for us to share the gospel of Jesus. So if you want to take action with CAH please contact someone from the outreach Committee.
MEN’S SUPPER: During our Men’s Missions Supper several action steps were discussed by the men at each table and the Outreach Committee is now working to implement the following action steps they suggested:
- Handy Man Directory– People using their skills and talents for single moms, the elderly, widows, and the poor in the North Shore community; showing tangibly what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves. Karen Moniz from the Outreach Committee is putting together a ‘Handy Man Directory’ of those individuals who have talent and time. We will offer this to the community. If you want to take action please contact Karen.
- Expanding the Outreach of Haven from Hunger – We provide a wonderful monthly meal to the clients but there is so much more we could offer them – Such as live Gospel music, sharing testimonies, giving devotions, individual prayer ministry for those in need. The sky is the limit. Please talk to someone on the Outreach Committee if you want to take action in expanding the ministry at Haven from Hunger.
- Corporate Prayer for the Lost– Vi Cook, from the Outreach Committee, is expanding our current evangelistic prayer strategies. If you have a burden to pray for the lost in our Community; that God would pour out His Spirit and open minds and hearts to the gospel and that we would be bolder in our sharing please take action and speak to Vi Cook
- Home Fellowship Groups With An Outreach Focus – Perhaps it is time for some of us to open our homes to unbelieving neighbors and friends and host a Neighborhood Fellowship Group with an evangelistic focus. If you want to take action and make your home a lighthouse for the neighborhood talk to Pastor Rick
The above ideas are only a sampling of some of the ways God spoke to us last week to stand up and take action. Please prayerfully consider what the Lord is calling you to do and how you are to take action. And, please share your ideas of how we can minister outside of our church in creative ways to reach our ‘neighbors’ for Jesus.
The Call To Action has been sounded! Now is the time for us, all of us who are able, to step-up and speakout! It is not a time for us to sit-back on the sidelines with Gospel Of Life tucked away in our pockets, and our eyes closed to the oppressive spiritual needs of people without Jesus all around us.
On behalf of the Outreach Committee,
Pastor Rick McDonnell
